Red Dot - 124

Chapter 124

The smile on Daewook’s face faded as he received Hanseo’s genuine hostility. It felt like cold teeth touching his throat, and he instinctively wrapped one hand around his neck, swallowing dryly.

Only then did he realize.

The man in front of him was dangerous.

‘Why is Junseong with someone like him…?’

Daewook, feeling the murderous intent radiating from Hanseo, thought that Junseong must have known how dangerous he was. Despite that, he was keeping him close, even acting as if they had been long-time friends.

It was obvious from the moment Daewook saw it just how much Junseong cared for Hanseo.

Junseong, who appeared indifferent and even cold at times, openly showed his emotions around Hanseo. Furthermore, Daewook noticed that he unconsciously relied on him. Hanseo seemed to feel the same way, and he prioritized protecting Junseong above all else.

Daewook remembered that when he had heard about Junseong’s past, Hanseo had never once been mentioned. People like Seo Changmin, Lee Jian, Hwang Gyeong-oh, and Kwak Dujae were easy to recognize as soon as they stepped into the light, but Hanseo and two unfamiliar strangers had been exceptions.

‘If he was that noticeable, I couldn’t have missed him.’

Especially someone who so easily radiated murderous intent toward others.

It was unsettling to think that such a person, someone so dangerous, was so close to Junseong, acting as his best friend.

On the other hand, Daewook couldn’t understand why Junseong would keep him around.

As Daewook started to feel more and more wary of Hanseo without saying a word, Hanseo leaned on the armrest of the couch, resting his chin on the back of his hand, and asked,

“How long have you been friends with Kang Junseong?”

It was a surprisingly ordinary question, considering the wall of hostility he had put up.

Daewook stared into Hanseo’s eyes and answered.

“About ten years. We’ve been sticking together since high school.”

“Hmmm…”

Hanseo’s eyes narrowed slightly. The words ‘ten years’ and ‘sticking together’ kept turning over in his mind.

Ten years that he didn’t know about.

During all that time, Junseong had laughed and spent time with Daewook, not even knowing whether someone like Hanseo existed.

Simply because they were friends.

“I’m his friend too. That’s unfair.”

“What?”

It was a quiet mutter, so Daewook didn’t catch it, but it still felt unsettling.

Despite that feeling, Hanseo’s face shifted into an alluring smile, one that was different from before. It was enough to make even Daewook, who had been on edge, stop thinking for a moment.

Hanseo stood up and walked around the couch. His steps slowly made their way behind Daewook.

“Do you know any other friends of Kang Junseong?”

Perhaps it was because of the smile on Hanseo’s face.

Just a moment ago, Daewook had felt like his body was being pricked by countless sharp needles, but now he felt completely at ease.

“There are a few, but…”

“Are they all people you’ve known for ten years too?”

“No, I’ve been friends with him the longest. The others, I think, I lost touch with.”

“Is that so? They don’t seem like people worth worrying about.”

Daewook, answering innocently as if he had been hypnotized, suddenly realized Hanseo was standing right behind him. When he tilted his head back to look up at him, Hanseo’s smile was strangely terrifying.

Hanseo bent down and placed his hands on Daewook’s shoulders.

“Then, if you’re not here…”

Daewook suddenly felt something cold next to him. He turned his head, only to see his own surprised eyes reflected in the sharp, thin blade.

A faint, eerie laugh escaped Hanseo’s lips.

“Could I be the one who’s been friends with him the longest? Right?”

Junseong, being pulled into the room by Chaeyi, gently patted her on the back as her face rested against his chest.

Since the time on the bus until now, Chaeyi’s eyes had been full of tears. She had been fighting to keep them from flowing, but now, it seemed like she couldn’t hold back anymore, and her shirt was soon soaked with her tears. It was the first time Junseong had seen her cry for such a long time, and he was even taken aback by it.

He felt sorry for her, realizing how much she had been suffering.

About ten minutes after she had been quietly crying, Chaeyi lifted her head. Junseong sat her on the bed and gently wiped her tear-streaked face with a tissue.

“You’ve become ugly. Stop crying.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend, so what’s the point of worrying about being ugly?”

Chaeyi responded with a sassy remark and snatched the tissue from Junseong’s hand. Her rough movements wiped away all the moisture from her face without mercy.

‘She seems to be feeling better now.’

It seemed she had cried enough to calm herself down and was strong enough now to joke around with him. Junseong felt reassured.

But on the other hand, Junseong’s face grew dark.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Holding the damp tissue tightly in her hand, Chaeyi asked,

“The dangerous one.”

“Why are you apologizing, Oppa? It’s not your fault.”

“No, it’s my fault.”

Junseong lowered his eyes and bit his lips tightly.

On the way to the motel, Daewook briefly told him about the past week they had gone through.

Daewook and Chaeyi’s meeting was as Junseong had expected.

Chaeyi, who had blindly rushed after Junseong, ran down the tracks in the direction he had moved, and along the way, she met Daewook. Together, with the people at the station, they fought off the zombies. While moving with them, Daewook revealed an important fact to Chaeyi.

This zombie crisis was following the exact same process as the nightmare Junseong had repeatedly dreamed about.

Daewook had not heard every detail of Junseong’s dreams, but he remembered the things Junseong would share whenever he sought advice or needed someone to talk to. One of those things was that he would block the zombies at a particular station and form a group with the survivors.

Most of the contents of Junseong’s dreams had proven to be true. Chaeyi’s joining them had been unexpected, but Junseong’s actions, which were different from the dreams, made it a situation that could easily happen.

In any case, Daewook couldn’t ignore Chaeyi, whom he hadn’t seen in a while. Since he had known her as long as Junseong, he naturally thought of protecting her.

Moreover, apart from being a close friend, Kang Junseong was the only one who truly understood the zombie situation and could predict what would happen next. Joining him would not only increase their chances of survival but might even hold the key to ending this crisis quickly.

After hearing all of this, Chaeyi looked confused but eventually understood. No, there was too much that couldn’t be explained unless she accepted it.

Her brother, who suddenly appeared at the university without any contact.

It was as if he had known the zombies would go on a rampage, as he had prepared thoroughly. He knew the exact time when someone would appear to open the subway screen doors and details about the shelters inside. She knew he was usually calm and collected, but to stay so calm in a world suddenly filled with zombies was definitely suspicious.

After learning about the dreams, Chaeyi couldn’t help but believe them, even if they sounded unbelievable. The Daewook she knew was someone who kept a distance from lies and was trustworthy. That’s why, out of all the people who were “friends” of Junseong, he was the only one whose name she remembered.

Once she understood it all, Chaeyi felt an overwhelming sense of frustration at how foolish her brother seemed.

Even though he had been having these terrifying dreams every day, he never told her and kept it all to himself. If she had been in Junseong’s place, her mind would have broken down in less than a week.

Yet he said it was her fault.

He hadn’t wanted the dreams, and yet he made her feel responsible for her impulsive actions. How foolish.

As Chaeyi thought deeply, her eyes began to redden again.

Junseong quickly grabbed a tissue and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.

“I told you to stop crying. Do you want to look like a fish tomorrow?”

“I don’t know, you idiot.”

Chaeyi wiped her eyes with her hands, making the fresh tissue damp.

“More importantly, I have something to ask.”

Chaeyi hesitated for a moment before carefully asking,

“Is it true that Do Hanseo-senpai was never mentioned in your dreams?”

As soon as Junseong nodded, Chaeyi grabbed his sleeve tightly.

“Then let’s move separately if needed. That person feels strange.”

“Strange how?”

Chaeyi looked down and nervously shifted her gaze, speaking uneasily.

“I feel like he’s going to eat you up.”

Junseong’s body flinched slightly.

He couldn’t bring himself to tell her that he had already been consumed.